YORKSHIRE HOLLAND WALES SCOTLAND ENGLAND IRELAND
A complete Round Tower and
6th century monastic settlement
at Clonmacnoise, Co Offaly. Built on a bend on the river Shannon. 		Doo Lough and the Mweelrea mountains
on the road from Louisburgh to Killary
Harbour at Leenaun, Connemara. This road is a "must do" for anyone in this area for it's breathtaking scenery.
Traditional cottage alongside Mannin Bay on the Ballyconneely to Clifden road. It has it's own natural harbour. Alcock and Brown landed nearby after their historic 16 and a half hour flight from America Cleahy Rocks looking towards the
Nephin mountains. Connemara. The beach is made up of millions of beautifully coloured pebbles as well as water smoothed pieces of Connemara marble.
Roundstone harbour. An artist's paradise. There is a music park nearby and a round tower in the grounds. Inland not far from from here is Patrick Pearce's cottage, the leader of the 1916 uprising, shot by a British firing squad. Croagh Patrick with it's uaual cloud, seen here from near Louisburgh. Croagh Patrick is 764 metres high. On the 2nd w/e of August every year, is climbed by people seeking penance for their sins , some barefoot or on their knees. Mad!
The Coffin Ship. Murrisk. Sculpted by John Behan. The National Famine Monument, depicts a ship with skeletons as the rigging . Unveiled by Eire President Mary Robinson. Situated at the roadside at the foot of Croagh Patrick Clare Island harbour at low tide. Stranded on the island until high tide, you can hire bikes to explore the island by pedal. The ancestral home of 15th century pirate and chieftain Grace O' Malley. The ruins of her castle stand near the harbour.
Traditional cottage and new modern sports centre on Clare Island. Grace O'Malley's castle stands on the headland overlooking the harbour. This road leads from the pub to the harbour. You can hire bikes to tour the island. Aisleagh Falls. Delphi. The river Erriff is short but beautiful. Amid spectacular scenery, salmon attempt to leap the falls to get upstream to breed after waiting in Killary Harbour below for the rain to arrive.

Sunset over the Atlantic near Louisburg It was the end of our first day in Ireland and we bought a ticket to sail to Clare Island (in the distance) for the next day. The wig-wam you can see is infact Astrid keeping warm.

The Twelve Bens from Roundstone .
A range of mountains which make up the backbone of the area known as Connemara. The coastal road is very picturesque, Just inland from here is the "Rebel" Patrick Pearce's cottage.
Lough O'Flynn, Ballinlough, Roscommon A trout fishery of some distinction, beautifully maintained harbour, but I never, ever saw anyone around when I was there. Rural Roscommon is the apple of my eye. Small quay near Ballyconneeley.
The west of Ireland, faced by the Atlantic Ocean, has many small islands just off the coast breaking the Atlantic waves. The sand is white here and the sea is cobalt blue.